1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the mechanical means used to affect the location of a cursor on a computer screen display, specifically to a pointing device for a portable computer that is integrated into the same package as its power supply which may also be used as an auxiliary power supply for the portable computer. As used herein, it is contemplated for the term pointing device to include, but not be limited to, cursor control means such as a mouse having a position tracking processor on its bottom and control buttons on its top; a position tracking processor having adjacent control buttons; a track ball having adjacent control buttons; a glide-point device having adjacent control buttons; a track pad having adjacent control buttons; an optical device using reflected light sources to measure position or change in position of the cursor; a radio frequency device measuring position or change in position of the cursor depending on changes in phase of radio frequency carders and/or radio frequency modulation; an acoustical device measuring position or change in position of the cursor depending on changes in phase of acoustical carriers and/or acoustical modulation; and a wireless device measuring position or change in position of a cursor.
2. Description of Prior Art
Portable computers are being carried with increasing frequency by people needing to store and compile information in places where battery-charging power supplies are unavailable. Personal computers are known to be commonly used in such diverse settings as libraries, vacation resort areas, airplanes, and motor vehicle race tracks where pit crews use them to monitor motor vehicle performance. Most portable computers have alternating current-direct current power supply converters which are contained in their own separate housing and which connect to an alternating current source and the portable computer via separate cords. The alternating current-direct current power supply converter is connected either to enable the portable computer to operate for an extended period of time or to charge batteries contained within the portable computer. The alternating current-direct current power supply converter is usually ported along with the portable computer whenever the period of use is expected to exceed the capacity of the portable computer's batteries. Further, a typical portable computer has a pointing device such as a track ball, glide point, or a track pad adjacent or attached to its keyboard. Such pointing devices are cumbersome to use because of their proximity to the keyboard. Therefore, many users prefer to carry and use a separate mouse, or other pointing device, which attaches to the portable computer using its own connection cord. Thus, in many situations, the portable computer user must carry both a pointing device and an alternating current-direct current power supply converter along with their attendant cords. By incorporating the pointing device into the same package as the alternating current-direct current power supply converter, the present invention obviates the need for a separate ergonomic pointing device such as a mouse to be ported in addition to the alternating current-direct current power supply converter.
Another limiting factor in the use of portable computers is the useful life of their batteries, which at best may only have the stored energy necessary for an hour or two of portable computer operation. People using a portable computer away from their office, school, or home for extended periods of time often require more than an hour or two of battery power. Purchasing multiple batteries for extended time away from a battery-charging power source is expensive and carrying a multitude of batteries is cumbersome.
Another limiting factor in the use of portable computers is the sometimes confining space within which portable computer users must work. Unless they pay first class airplane fares, people flying have only their lap, or a small pull-down tray on the seat back in from of them, on which to position a portable computer. People working at a vacation resort area may want to confine the space in which they use their portable computer in order to keep it free from damaging influences, such as the sun, sand, and water. Further, people using portable computers in crowded libraries and at race tracks may not have access to a battery-charging power source, nor a large uncluttered area in which to work. Therefore, each of these above-mentioned portable computer users would not have the work space within which to easily change portable computer batteries with the frequency that may be required for some portable computers, nor would such users typically be able to access a battery-charging power supply with the frequency needed to work exclusively from the stored energy in one rechargeable computer battery.
Other limiting factors in the use of portable computers are the difficulty some people find in using the small position tracking processors and mouse buttons incorporated therein and the frequency with which such position tracking processors must be disassembled so that the moving parts interfacing with the position tracking processor may be cleaned, for example with alcohol, to dislodge skin oils, dust, skin cells, hair, and other debris which commonly move beneath the position tracking processors of portable computers and prevent them from operating smoothly and efficiently. In vacation resort areas, on airplanes, or at race tracks, such position tracking processor cleaning would be nearly impossible to perform correctly. As a result the connection of an enlarged mouse accessory would make use of the portable computer easier, particularly if the enlarged mouse had an independent power supply which would not prematurely drain the energy stored in the batteries installed within the portable computer housing by having to power the enlarged mouse, and could also provide an auxiliary source of energy for the portable computer to which it is connected when the batteries in the portable computer become drained.
Prior art is known to include electronic remote control devices for televisions and other electronic devices, such as video recorders and video players, which have internal power supplies. U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,489 to Redford (1995) also discloses a hand held remote control device using infrared signals which houses its own power supply. One of the uses of the Redford invention is to replace a mouse in the control of a cursor on a computer screen display. However, neither the power supply in the electronic remote control devices, nor that in the Redford invention, is contemplated to provide an auxiliary source of power supply for the electronic devices with which each is to be used. It is not known to have a pointing device for a portable computer that is integrated into the same package as its power supply which may also be used as an auxiliary power supply for operation of the portable computer to which it is connected when the energy stored in the batteries of the portable computer have become drained.